Mileven Oneshots
by madhatterandalice
Summary: oneshots revolving around Mike and Eleven
1. Beauty and the Beast

He should never of agreed to it.

El had asked him if he would dress up with her for Halloween. He was about to refuse, to tell her that he, Dustin, Lucas, and Will were going as their Dungeons and Dragons characters, but there was a certain look in her eyes that made him say yes to going with her.

* * *

 _"Mike! The stuff for your costume came in!" Karen yelled down to the basement where Mike and Eleven were talking. Mike had bought her a fairy tale book a few months prior to help her learn to read, and she was absolutely in love with the princess stories. Her favorite, by far, was Beauty and the Beast._

 _"What's Hollow Een?" El curiously asked in her soft voice, her wide brown eyes staring at him._

 _"Halloween. It's this really cool holiday where kids dress up and go around neighborhoods asking for candy." Mike smiled, recalling past memories of him and his friends._

 _"Do you think we could go? Together?" El hopefully asked. He was gonna say no, but one look into her eyes, and he was a goner._

 _"Y-Yeah. I guess. What are we going to go as?" Mike asked._

 _"Can we go as Belle and the Beast? Please?" El asked._

 _He nodded and ran upstairs to tell his parents, and he pretended to not notice their knowing looks, or Nancy's smirk. For he knew what they were thinking; that he was definitely crushing, if not in love with her._

* * *

 _Nancy had wanted to do El's hair and makeup for Halloween. Joyce and Karen bought El a long curly brown wig and an elegant yellow ballgown. As Nancy was doing El's makeup, El began to look around Nancy's room, slightly smiling as she saw all the photos of Nancy and Jonathan. There was even one of the two kissing._

 _"What's that?" El asked, remembering the night with Mike in the cafeteria. Despite not knowing what had happened, it gave her a...really nice feeling, and she wanted to find out what it was._

 _"What, kissing?" Nancy said, causing El to slightly tilt her head._

 _"It's, um, placing your lips onto someone else's. Only someone you have romantic feelings for them though." And before El could ask, Nancy went on to explaining what romantic feelings were._

 _"Romantic feelings are a lot stronger than the feelings you have for friends. You get nervous when the person you like is around, and you feel all warm and fuzzy, and you smile just thinking about them." As Nancy went on to explain, El got happier and happier._

 _She finally had a word to describe how she felt towards Mike, and she couldn't wait to tell him._

* * *

Mike huffed as he looked at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a blue waist length coat with yellow trimming, a white dress shirt, and black pants with yellow stripes going down the side.

"You look _great._ " Dustin sarcastically said as he saw Mike.

"Shut up. I'm only doing this for El." He mumbled, throwing on his dress shoes.

"Because you love her, right?" Dustin asked, and when Mike shot him a dirty look, he shot him a grin.

"I don't... _love_ her." Mike shook his head, though he couldn't really decipher his feelings anymore. He knew that he liked her, though his feelings ran a lot deeper than just like.

But he was only fourteen. And he didn't want to admit that yes, he was in love, because everyone would just dismiss it as 'puppy love' or say that he was 'too young' to understand it.

Sighing, Mike stood up and walked up to the living room, playfully rolling his eyes as his mom gushed over him.

"Okay, Nancy and Jonathan are taking you guys trick or treating. Will and Lucas should be here soon with Jonathan." Karen explained, balancing Holly on her hip.

Mike nodded and sat down on the sofa, waiting for Eleven, whom Nancy announced was coming down.

It was a good thing he took a seat; his knees went weak as soon as he saw her.

El had on a brunette wig that was up in a neat bun atop her head with strands framing her face. She had on makeup; not too much, but just enough to make her noticeable. The yellow gown hugged her figure perfectly, and she looked like an actual princess.

"Pretty?" El asked as soon as she got to him. Mike was only vaguely aware of his family and Dustin watching him as he responded.

"No." He shook his head, watching as El's face fell. "Beautiful."

The two stared at each other, only looking away when a knock came at the door.

Startled, Mike blushed, and he held out his hand for El to take.

"Come on."

* * *

Needless to say, the kids had a lot of fun that night. And, not for the first time, El felt a sense of...gratitude towards her new friends. They were all cracking jokes with her, and they really made her feel happy.

And as much as she liked them, she really wanted to talk to Mike alone, to tell him what she figured out.

Finally, her chance came when they got back.

Dustin, Lucas, and Will all excused themselves to go upstairs, and it was only Mike and El.

"Thank you." El said, so softly that it took a moment for Mike to realize that she spoke.

"O-Oh. You're welcome. I had a lot of fun!" Mike beamed, looking down at his outfit. "I'll admit, I didn't really want to go as the Beast at first, but it was surprisingly okay." He leaned back against the wall, watching her.

"I have to tell you something." El took a deep breath. Her stomach was all fluttery, and she couldn't figure out why. It was just Mike; but somewhere during the night of pretending and holding hands, her feelings had taken a plunge into the deep end.

"Okay, what is it?" He asked, biting his lip.

"Nancy and I were talking while she was getting me ready, and she explained to me what romance was. Mike...I have...I have romantic feelings for you." She breathed out the last part, her nerves going haywire. El was well aware of the way that he was looking at her; as if she were his whole universe.

A slow smile spread across his lips, and before either of them could react, he leaned forward and softly pecked her lips.

"I have romantic feelings for you too, El."

Both were blissfully unaware of their friends, plus Jonathan and Nancy lurking on the staircase.

That is, until Dustin decided to break the silence.

"ABOUT DAMN TIME!"

* * *

 **A/N: I just got into the show yesterday, and I stayed up until 2 AM watching it bc my priorities are obviously straight (unlike me oops)**

 **I own nothing because if I did own Stranger Things, eLEVEN WOULD STILL FUCKING BE WITH MIKE**

 **Anyway, don't forget to leave a review telling me what you thought!**


	2. I've Got You

It had been two months since Eleven vanished. Everyone was still distraught; especially Mike. He was so in love with her, even though he only knew her for a week.

Somehow, in the week that he knew her, El had wormed her way into his heart, and even after she was gone, she stayed there. Which made dealing with her disappearance that much harder.

For the first week after she had left, Mike didn't do anything. He wouldn't go to school, or go outside, or even talk to his parents or friends. All he did was lay in the fort and turn on the walkie, hoping and praying that he'd hear her voice again.

He never got his hopes up though, which is why it surprised him when he heard her voice come through one night.

* * *

Two months. Two months since she left his life, two months since he knew what true sadness was. Of course, Mike had been extremely sad about Will, but he didn't love him like he loved El.

Mike sat in the fort, the walkie in his hands and turned on. He was staring at it intently, willing her voice to come flowing through.

And when it did, he nearly had a heart attack.

"M-Mike." Her voice was tiny and scared and it gave him a rush of relief, because she was _alive._ It took a few seconds to respond, because her voice really shocked him.

"El! El! Are you okay? What happened? Where are you?" Mike's voice was a mix of panic and relief and tears stung his eyes because _oh God she sounds so alone._

"I'm-I'm in the woods. I'm so scared, Mike." It was all staticky, but he got the general idea.

"I'm on my way."

* * *

His parents were, to say the least, surprised when they saw Mike hurriedly throwing on his shoes and jacket.

"Mike? Where are you going at this time of night?" His father asked. It was nine o' clock, and was nearing the time that Mike had to be in bed by.

Due to his panicked state, Mike was rushing all around the place, making him out of breath. "Eleven-woods." He gasped out, running out the door and grabbing his bike. Mike had already radioed Lucas, who was waiting for him with Dustin and Will.

"Is is true? Did she actually talk to you?" Lucas's voice was incredulous, and slightly hopeful. He, too, missed the weirdo, though he wouldn't admit it.

"Yes! Yes, she talked to me. Now come _on!"_ Mike hopped on his bike and sped off, his three friends following him. He knew how crazy he must've sounded to them, but he also knew that they were gonna follow him anyway, no matter how crazy he was.

* * *

Thankfully, Lucas had thought to bring flashlights, something that Mike had forgotten when he was running around.

And just like the first night they found her, it was raining and cold, and he felt so so bad that she was out here, alone and cold and suffering.

The four of them were walking around the woods in silence. Dustin had tried to keep the atmosphere light, but Mike wasn't up for talking.

Mike kept shining his flashlight everywhere, in a hurry to find Eleven.

Finally, after about an hour, he found her, cold and alone and shivering.

And everyone was still for a moment. Eleven and Mike were just standing there, looking at each other, drinking the sight in.

And Mike couldn't believe it, because she was _there._ She was alive and well and so _so_ beautiful still, even though her pink dress was ratty and torn and her brown hair was all dirty and muddy.

And at the same time, the two surged forward. Mike's arms wrapped tightly around her waist, and El clutched at his shirt, her shoulder buried in his neck. Tears were pouring down her face, and she was shaking so badly.

Mike slowly knelt to the ground, his arms still around her. She was so cold, making Mike take off his jacket to drape around her shoulders. "It's okay, El." He kept murmuring, his arms going back around her.

"I've got you." He kissed the top of her head and rocked them back and forth, trying to calm her down enough so he could take her home. He was starting to feel the bite of the cold, though he wasn't gonna take his jacket back. She needed it way more than him.

"P-Promise?" She hiccuped, pulling back from the hug slightly so she could look at him.

Mike could see all the fear and pain in her eyes, and he felt so so bad that she had to be alone again, for that was her worst fear.

"I promise." He softly kissed her cheek and stood up, holding a hand out to her, which she gladly took. "Come on, let's get you home." He said, making a small smile spread across her lips.

Eleven was vaguely aware of Dustin, Lucas, and Will, who were all standing back and watching the scene unfold. They would get to talk to her soon, but they knew that she needed Mike at the moment.

"Home." El whispered, climbing onto the back of the bike. As long as she was with him, she was home.

* * *

 **I decided to make this a book of oneshots, since I need something to do for the long wait before season 2. Most of them will be anywhere from 300-1,000 words, and will definitely revolve around Mike and Eleven.**

 **Also; I've been checking the internet every day to see if the Duffer brothers had said anything about Eleven, and they haven't yet. Millie says she thinks she isn't coming back, and it makes me so sad.**

 **Anyway, I don't own Stranger Things, because that show is far too good to be something that _I_ came up with.**

 **Until next time,**

 **~Queen**


	3. The Green Eyed Monster

Eleven couldn't take her eyes off him.

Mike was sitting with a new girl, who couldn't seem to keep her hands off of him, and El was fucking _pissed._ And Dustin and Lucas found it absolutely hilarious.

"Are you seeing green now?" Dustin teasingly asked, causing her to tilt her head to the side.

"What? No. My sight is perfectly fine." She said, her eyes darting to Dustin.

"Ignore that. He's only asking if you're jealous." Will finally spoke up, rolling his eyes at his best friend. Dustin only grinned back and looked at El, amusement written on his features. It was funny that she'd gotten so jealous; anyone could see that Mike had eyes for Eleven and Eleven only.

"What's jealous?" Eleven asked, a bit of frustration in her voice. She still didn't know what all of her emotions were, and it was hard to be able to answer questions like that when she only just learned what 'angry' meant.

"Do you have a really bad feeling in your stomach? Do you feel like slapping the girl talking to Mike?" Lucas asked, trying his best to describe what jealousy meant.

Wordlessly, Eleven nodded her head, making Dustin snort. "Yeah, you're jealous." Lucas said, shaking his head slightly as he looked at Dustin.

Eleven frowned and looked down. "I don't like it." She said, returning her gaze to the three boys.

"Most people generally don't." Came Dustin's reply.

Eleven returned her attention to Mike and the girl, and when she got a bit too close to Mike for her liking, she used her powers to push her back just a _little bit._ Which Dustin found absolutely hilarious.

While the girl was looking down in confusion, Mike turned around to look at her. He was trying to glare at her, but the hidden smile on his lips made it hard to. Besides, she didn't push her _that_ much. Just a few inches.

Eleven innocently smiled at Mike, discreetly wiping the blood from her nose, and he rolled his eyes, beckoning her over. Heaving a sigh, Eleven got up and walked over to the table he was sitting at, gracefully sitting down next to him.

"Samantha, this is El, my girlfriend." Mike said, wrapping an arm around Eleven's shoulders, making a smile spread across her lips. No matter how many times he called her that, she still got a very weird- albeit nice- feeling in her stomach.

"Hi! It's nice to meet you." Samantha said, though the tone of her voice sounded a little too forced for it to be happy, and her eyes were narrowed as she looked at El.

"Hi." Eleven said in a flat voice, raising an eyebrow at the ebony haired girl in front of her. ' _I wish I could say the same for you.'_ She wordlessly added, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Part of her knew that she was just being silly, but a bigger part of her was worried that Mike would leave her for Samantha.

Because, and she hated to admit this, Samantha was much prettier than her. While Eleven had short brown hair and boring brown eyes, Samantha had long and wavy black hair with light as ice blue eyes.

"Pretty." Eleven whispered so quietly that only Mike heard her. He turned to look at her and bit his lip, removing his arm from around her shoulders to take her hand in his and softly squeeze it.

"Anyway Mike, I'll see you later. Maybe you could show me around Hawkins?" Samantha asked, batting her eyelashes and placing her hand on Mike's shoulder again. Her tone was flirty, and Eleven had to refrain from slapping her.

"She needs to back the fuck up." Eleven muttered. Mike, having heard this, snorted, covering his mouth.

Unfortunately, Samantha also heard, and she turned her head to stare at Eleven. "What did you say?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I said, you need to back the fuck up. Did you not hear him when he said he had a girlfriend? And did you miss the part where he said it was me?" Eleven said, glaring at the girl.

"So, I'll repeat myself, you need to back the fuck up and stop flirting with him." She said, crossing her arms. Samantha was just about to retort when the bell ring, and she huffed and walked away.

"Damn." Mike muttered, laughing softly as he stood up. "Were you _jealous?"_ He asked, a slight teasing tone to his voice.

Eleven nodded, softly biting her lip. "Sorry." She whispered, playing with the bracelet on her wrist.

"You don't have to apologize. And you shouldn't be jealous, since you're the only girl I like, okay?" Mike smiled, leaning in and quickly kissing her. Eleven smiled back and nodded her head.

"And for the record, you're much prettier than she is."

* * *

 **MILLIE IS WRITTEN IN THE SCRIPT FOR SEASON 2 EVERYTHING IS RIGHT WITH THE WORLD I'M SO FUCKING HAPPY**

 **ANYWAY, YOU SHOULD TOTALLY REVIEW.**

 **UNTIL NEXT TIME,**

 **~QUEEN**


	4. Kitchen Messes

Eleven still continued to surprise Mike, even though she'd been back for well over a year. One of the many things that he didn't know about was her ability to bake. Which is why he was so surprised to see her in the kitchen one afternoon when he got back from school.

Her brown hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail, she had on his sweatshirt and shorts, and was singing along to Bohemian Rhapsody. A small smile appeared on his face as he leaned against the doorway to watch her.

"You know, it'd be nice if you could help me instead of just stare at me." El spoke, causing Mike to jump and get all flustered.

"How did you even- you know what, never mind. What can I help with?" Mike asked, dropping his bag and walking up to Eleven, quickly kissing her cheek.

"I can hear your footsteps, dumbass." Eleven teased him, quietly chuckling. "And can you get me another bag of chocolate chips?" She asked, pointing to the cupboard, as if he didn't know where they were.

"What're you making?" Mike asked as he grabbed the bag and brought it to her.

"Cookies. Today is Lucas's birthday, right?" At Mike's nod, she continued. "So, I convinced Joyce and Karen to let me stay here instead of go to school so I could bake for him." She smiled, looking over at Mike and taking the bag.

"Where'd you learn to cook?" He reached into the bag and got out a few chips, grinning as Eleven lightly smacked his hand.

"Nancy. And Jonathan." El poured the amount of chocolate chips she needed into the cookie batter and began to stir it, not paying attention to what Mike was doing. Which was a bad idea, since a few minutes later, white clouded her vision.

"Mike, did you just pour flour on my head?" Eleven asked, raising her eyebrows as she turned around to look at him. His mischievous smile gave her the answer she needed, and she grinned.

"You're dead, Wheeler."

Laughing, Eleven grabbed the vanilla and squirted it at Mike, who made a face and put his hands up. In retaliation, Mike grabbed the chocolate chips and hurled them at her. Both of them were laughing and squealing, and it warmed Mike's heart to see Eleven like this; so childish and carefree.

The food fight went on for about twenty minutes, before Eleven ended it by smashing an egg on Mike's head.

"Okay, okay, I surrender." Mike laughed, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close as he surveyed the mess that surrounded them.

"I've got a lot to clean up." Eleven chuckled, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"No, you go shower, I've got it." Mike shook his head, removing his arm from around her shoulder and sweetly smiling at her.

"You sure?" She asked, biting her lip.

"Yeah. Now go." Mike laughed, softly kissing her before nudging her towards the steps.

Rolling her eyes, Eleven walked up to the shower, and not for the first time, thought about how lucky she was to have someone like Mike as a boyfriend.

* * *

 **Okay, so, David revealed that both he and Millie will be in Atlanta for filming, and that's about it. They're not giving away details of the second season, which is sO FRUSTRATING BC I DON'T THINK I CAN WAIT HALF A YEAR FOR THIS PLS HELP**

 **Anyway, I'm thinking of making the next one shot an AU type thing bc i have a great idea but idk**

 **Review please!**

 **Until next time,**

 **~Queen**


	5. Insomnia

Mike and Eleven couldn't sleep. Nightmares used to plague Mike; whether it be the demogorgon or nightmares about Eleven disappearing all over again. And Eleven...she saw the Upside Down every damn time she closed her eyes. So the two of them took to not sleeping, or sleeping very little. It was the only way to keep the nightmares at bay.

* * *

"Mike! Lights out!" Karen yelled down the staircase, making him groan. "Five more minutes! We're almost done with the campaign!" He shouted back, not paying attention to the loud sigh or the slamming door.

It was the day that school got out, and the boys plus Eleven were over. El was on the sofa, just watching the boys play. She loved seeing how excited they got, and loved watching Mike's eyes light up. It made her happy to see them happy and not in danger.

Mike was going on about something called a 'thessala hydra.' (She didn't really understand any of it, but by the tone of his voice, it wasn't good.)

By the time it was over, it was around midnight, and Dustin, Will, and Lucas looked like they were ready to pass out, so Mike decided it'd be a good idea to finally end it and call it a night.

Mike lay on his sleeping bag, eyes wide open, thoughts of the demogorgon swirling around his head. Even though it'd been well over a year since it happened, and he was still terrified of the dark.

Eleven was scared of seeing the Upside Down. Everything there was so cold and colorless and it terrified her. After about half an hour, she looked over to Mike, and softly poked his nose. "Mike, are you up?" She whispered, biting her lip.

"Yeah El, I'm up." He whispered back, his eyes shooting open. "What're you doing up? It's late, you should sleep." Mike murmured, though it was slightly hypocritical of him, since he wasn't gonna sleep for a while.

"Can't. I see...bad things when I do." El moved closer to him, well, as close as she could in her sleeping bag.

"What do you see?"

"The Upside Down." Just saying those words made her blood run cold and made her shake.

Mike, sensing her fear, quietly got out of his bag and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "I can't sleep either. Demogorgon's always there...and if it's not that, then it's losing you." He murmured, softly sighing.

Eleven nodded, completely understanding, like she always did. Saying goodbye to him was easily the hardest thing she'd ever done, but she had to, to keep him safe. "I'm here now though. And we're okay." She whispered, softly kissing his cheek. "I'm not gonna leave you."

A slow smile spread across Mike's lips, and his cheeks heated up. "I won't leave you either." He whispered, softly kissing her forehead. And for the first time that night, Eleven covered her mouth as a yawn escaped.

Noticing this, Mike gave her a small smile. "Come on, go to sleep. I've got you." He said, pressing his lips against her forehead one last time before closing his eyes.

And that's how their friends found them; cuddled up to each other, small smiles on their face.

It was the best sleep they've gotten in a while.

* * *

 **i'm so excited for twd tonight yOU DON'T EVEN KNOW**

 **also: finn and millie are otp and i ship it so much omg**

 **anyway you should leave a review bc i'm desperate**

 **until next time,**

 **~Queen**


	6. I Love You

Mike was in love with Eleven.

He loved the way she laughed. It was light and airy and her tongue poked out between her teeth.

And he loved it even more when it was a full on laugh, where she threw her head back and closed her eyes and you could _see_ the happiness on her face.

He loved the way she could brighten up his day just by being there with him. Her presence could easily calm him down and make him a million times happier than he'd previously been, no matter what had happened.

He loved her eyes. They were such a pretty shade of brown, and they were wide, innocent. There was a light that shined in them whenever she smiled or laughed or looked at him.

He loved how selfless she was. She was so willing to give up her life for him and his friends, despite not really living until Mike found her. It didn't matter though; he knew she'd rather die than have them die.

He loved how easy it was to talk to her. Words always came so easily to him when they talked, and he'd never felt more comfortable around anyone who wasn't Dustin, Lucas, or Will.

He loved her facial expressions when he explained something. First, her eyes would widen and her mouth would make a small 'o' shape as he demonstrated what something did, or explained a word to her. Then, she'd get a happy little smile on her face and nod her head, showing that she understood.

He loved the way she made him feel. Whenever he was around her, there was this tingly sensation, and every time he thought about her, a smile crossed over his lips.

He loved how curious she was. If she didn't know the answer to something, she wouldn't stop until she found out, which was adorable. (And she honestly reminds him so much of Alice)

* * *

Eleven was in love with Mike.

She loved how he carefully took his time to explain to her what something meant, and never got agitated when she didn't get it the first time.

She loved his smile. It was so bright that it could make the sun jealous, and made her feel all happy inside.

She loved his creativity. Whenever he had to write out a new campaign for his game, she sat next to him and watched, amazed at how easily the words flowed from the pen to the paper.

She loved how smart he was. He was always so thirsty for knowledge, and loved learning about new things. When he found something that interested him, his face would light up and he'd turn to her to show her. (Honestly, she barely paid attention, too captivated by the childlike wonder on his face.)

She loved how kind he was. Despite being bullied, beaten, and threatened by Troy and James, he was still a kind soul, offering help to those who needed and deserved it.

She loved how he said, "I love you." It came off of his tongue so easily, as if he didn't have to think about it at all, and she knew he meant it.

And she also meant it.

* * *

 **TRUMP BECAME PRESIDENT AMERICA IS FUCKED LMAO**


	7. Relentless

Elle wasn't the most popular girl in school. She didn't really follow the fashion trends, instead preferring to wear pastels and drink coffee and read books. She loved the winter and wearing long jumpers with sleeves that fell passed her hands, claiming it 'made her feel cute.' Even though she wasn't popular, she still got hit on quite a few times.

Mike, however, was the complete opposite. He wore dark colors and straightened his hair and drove a motorcycle to school. Most people found him intimidating, which Elle found hilarious. Despite his appearance, he was a massive nerd at heart.

Elle could understand why though. They were bullied, but once they decided to change themselves, (or, at least, how they were in public,) people stopped messing with them and started fearing them. They were still her boys though, and she was glad.

Most people didn't expect Mike and Elle to be together. They didn't even think the two were affiliated, since Mike and Elle didn't have any classes together. Which is why one guy made the mistake of flirting with Elle, who was just feet away from Mike's locker.

* * *

"Hello gorgeous. Got a number?" A guy, football player, Elle guessed from the jacket that rested on hisshoulders, slid next to her.

"Not one that you can have." Elle mumbled, though not wanting to appear rude, shook her head. "Um, no. Sorry." She offered a small smile. Mike, hearing this conversation, took a noticeably longer time at his locker than usual.

"Did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?" The guy asked again, making Elle softly sigh.

"I dunno. Ask Lucifer that." She replied, slightly annoyed. It was clear that Elle wasn't interested, yet the guy wouldn't give up.

"Your sweater looks lovely. I bet it'd look even lovelier on my bedroom floor." He winked. Elle, looking down at her soft blue sweater, blushed out of embarrassment and shook her head, feeling slightly better as Mike came up. She knew she didn't need protecting, but it was nice that he'd come when needed.

"She's not interested. Leave her alone." Mike growled, crossing his arms as he stared at the guy in front of him.

"Oh, come on. There's no _way_ she wouldn't be interested in someone like me." The guy smugly replied, a small smirk on his face.

"She really isn't, considering she's my girlfriend." Upon hearing that, the guy laughed, shaking his head. A crowd had gathered around them, wanting to see what would go down, and most looked shocked when hearing this.

"I feel bad for you, babe. Leave him, and I can show you what a real man is like. Especially in bed." The guy winked again, causing Elle to shift uncomfortably.

Mike, finally having enough, drew his arm back and socked the guy in the nose, ignoring the crowd's cries of, "Fight!"

Elle's eyebrows raised, and she wrapped her hands around his arm, shaking her head as he looked down at her. "No more." She said, pulling him away.

Mike sighed and nodded, before walking next to her, walking her to her class. "Sorry about punching him. He was annoying." Mike mumbled, making Elle softly chuckle.

"You can't just punch everyone who's annoying." She said, an amused look on her face.

"I know." They stopped outside of her classroom, and she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

"I love you." Elle smiled before turning around and walking into her sophomore English class, leaving Mike to stare at her retreating form.

Though, he definitely didn't mind.

* * *

 **this is probs v horrible bc it's 3 AM and i've just finished crying over the CW show, Containment. but my friend and i started talking about a punk!mike and pastel!el AU and i had to write it**

 **pls ignore any grammar/spelling errors bc i'm v tired and i've misspelled the word 'appear' at least three times before getting it right**

 **anyway, you should comment bc they make me happy**

 **until next time,**

 **~Queen**


	8. Sing to Me

Nervousness flooded her veins as she stood on the stage.

It was showtime, and Eleven was so _so_ scared. She'd tried out for the choir about two years prior because she wanted to get over her fear of being in front of people. And while it definitely worked, it still didn't ease the nerves inside of her.

Because this time she had a solo.

People would actually hear her voice, and nothing terrified her more. What if they didn't like her? What if they booed her off the stage? All these what ifs kept running through her head, and she kept cursing her Papa over and over. _He_ was the one who made her terrified to speak. _He_ was the one to make her like this.

Before her thoughts could continue their downward spiral, the curtains opened, and lights blinded her.

The choir went straight into their songs, and Eleven sang along, her eyes scanning the audience for Mike, who promised he'd be there.

And sure enough, in the middle of the rows sat Mike, a bouquet of roses on his lap.

A bright smile that was more blinding than the lights spread across her lips as she saw him, and she continued to sing, her voice slightly more distinguishable. He was _there._ He actually came and supported her and nothing made her happier. She had doubts about him showing up, mainly because the boys were in the middle of a campaign and it was a Friday. But Mike came, and knowing that she was more important than his game made her feel all tingly.

They sang three more songs before it was time for Eleven to go up to the mic. It was quiet in the auditorium until Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will all began to cheer.

 _'Dorks.'_ Eleven thought to herself with a small smile. She knew they were trying to make her feel less nervous, and she was so thankful to have them as friends.

When she opened her mouth to sing, she expected tomatoes or something to be thrown at her. Or for people to cringe horribly. What she didn't expect was for them to look stunned. Was she really that horrible?

That song got the most applause.

* * *

After the concert was over, Mike ran up to Eleven and hugged her tightly, careful of the roses. "You were amazing!" He exclaimed, pulling back from the hug to sweetly smile at her. "And these are for you." A small blush lit up his cheeks because after all these years, he still go so nervous doing anything even remotely romantic.

"Thank you." Eleven smiled back and gingerly took the roses, her eyes alight with happiness.

He didn't think she sucked.

Then again, no one really did.

* * *

 **i haven't updated in forever oops**

 **we're literally doing 4 writing assignments in english and? why?**

 **i just finished my poem, despite it not being done for another month, and i have absolutely no clue what imma do for a short story**

 **anyway, you should review!**

 **tbh i don't like this one as much but ehh it's okay**

 **until next time,**

 **~queen**


	9. You Make Me Happy When Skies Are Grey

**_Don't read if you're easily triggered!_**

* * *

 _Loneliness_

Loneliness was that feeling you'd get at 3 AM when you're sitting on your bed, looking up at the ceiling and hearing the peals of laughter from the television below you. It'd hit you like a freight train; the fact that you're so utterly alone because you don't have a best friend, or any friends at all. The men in the lab pretended to be your friend, but you knew better.

Loneliness was being surrounded by people who didn't understand you. They would throw you in dark rooms and make you do things with your minds just for observation. For science. (Though, secretly, you wondered if it was just for their own sick enjoyment- to see the freak in action.)

Loneliness was the color grey. It's not as dark as depression (yet) and certainly not as bright as joy. It's the color you see when it's raining and everything is gloomy. It's the color of dreariness and a dull heartache and exhaustion.

Loneliness was being afraid. Afraid to talk loud, afraid to ask for help when you so clearly need it, afraid to be viewed as stupid or ignorant. Afraid to be seen at all.

Loneliness was wearing your heart on your sleeve and getting hurt over and over again. It was getting locked in that dark, depressing room just for asking your Papa if he could stay with you that night because monsters were there.

Loneliness was dark and consuming and so hard to escape from. It was not living, just merely surviving, going through the motions, not caring if you died that day.

* * *

 _Depression_

Depression was worse. You would almost prefer to feel lonely again, because at least you'd be able to feel _something._

Depression was not having the strength to get out of bed. It was being called lazy and unproductive and a procrastinator. It was people not understanding that you really _couldn't_ get out of bed because the mere thought of moving seemed like so much work. It was being yelled and screamed at by Papa and other people until finally, you gave way, allowing yourself to be tested on again.

Depression was black. A deep, dark, endless pit. It was the color of nightmares, and it hid the monsters from sight until the last of the light had faded. That's when the monsters come out to play, taunting you and calling you, telling you to do bad things to yourself.

Depression was wanting to die. It was staring up at the ceiling in the middle of the night, wondering what would happen if you just ended it all. Surely, they wouldn't care. You were just Eleven. Just a number.

Depression was numb. It was not caring if anyone died, because you just couldn't bring yourself to. It was going through the motions daily, acting as if you were a ghost.

Depression was being called stupid, that depression didn't really exist. It was breaking down in the darkness of that terrifying room, pulling at the very little hair on your head and shouting until your throat was red and raw.

Depression was being hit with the realization that you didn't have to be stuck in that lab like a rat anymore. It was breaking their necks and not caring anymore- because they _deserved it._

Depression was feet pounding the floor and alarms blaring. It was trying to escape a heavily guarded place and finally finding that one tunnel you crawled through. It was walking around in the night, every sound a million times scarier.

Depression was earthquakes. It came through your world, shaking and knocking everything over. And just when you thought you were fine, it came back for more, effectively knocking you off your feet. It was looking around and realizing that everything was broken. It was finally starting to repair yourself.

* * *

 _Happiness_

Happiness was the color his his eyes. It was a calming, pretty brown shade with a light that didn't seem to fade. It was the color that woke you up in the mornings, staring into your eyes with a happy grin that tugged your own lips into a smile.

Happiness was watching him write for his game. It was the way his hand moved across the page, filling you with a calming feeling that was unknown to you. It was him looking up and smiling at you, his eyes full of an unreadable emotion.

Happiness was feeling his arms around you, as if they were trying to shield you from all the bad in the world. It was the feeling of being loved, of being wanted. It was being his best friend and making each other smile all the time.

Happiness was the silly games you'd play on the weekends, when everything felt lighter somehow. It was laughing as he failed to beat you. It was having a real, actual smile on your face, and you wondering how you survived all those years without him.

Happiness was knowing that he understood why you didn't understand a lot of things, and him explaining it to you, never getting annoyed or calling you stupid. It was slowly getting over the fear of looking stupid for asking questions.

Happiness was him teaching you to read. It was softly giggling as he did funny voices for the characters and him looking at you with love, a look that you finally understood after being given it so many times by him. It was still getting him to read to you time to time. (Like when Harry Potter first came out and you begged and begged and begged until finally he read it to you after the kids went to bed.)

Happiness was finding someone so unique. It was watching him tell a story, mesmerized at how easily the words came to him. It was being naturally drawn to him, like you both were magnets. It was looking over at him every few seconds with a loving look, still not believing that he was _yours._

Happiness was that feeling you got at 4 AM when you laughed so hard that you could barely breathe. It was his eyes twinkling like stars and his smile that was so bright, it could make the sun jealous. It was feeling privileged that you got to see it all the time.

Happiness was all the nights spent together on the roof, talking about nothing and everything. It was slowly, over time, forgetting about the bad times. It was replacing the tears with laughter. It was fixing yourself.

Happiness was him helping you forget about ever feeling lonely or depressed or helpless.

Happiness was the embodiment of _him._

* * *

 **so this is very different from what I'm used to writing, but idk i kinda like it**

 **this was originally a phan oneshot but then i reread it and thought it was perfect for mileven ^-^**

 **leave a review telling me what you think!**

 **until next time,**

 **~queen**


	10. no one can hurt you now

fear was a funny thing, wasn't it? fear was what showed a person's true colors.

some people chose to ran away. to go hide under the covers and hope and pray that what they saw was just a dream, that they'd be waking up from the hellish nightmare.

others chose to stay and fight. to use their fear as fuel and stand up to whatever it was that was scaring them.

and then there were the people that froze, looking as if they couldn't make up their minds. should they cower away and hide? or should they stay there and fight until there was nothing left?

...eleven decided she was a mixture of all the types of people when faced with a dangerous situation. there were times where she ran away and tried to hide, like the time she saw all the bad men at mike's house.

then there were times where she fought with everything she had. where she was so angry that someone had _dared_ to try to mess with her family that she was seeing red. (she didn't like getting that angry- it scared her.)

and then there were the times where she was frozen with fear for a moment, where she had to act quick and fast or else something bad would happen. like the time she nearly killed one of the bad men who was pleading for his life. who had his own family.

(she also decided that she was never _ever_ going to do anything like that again. she sometimes woke up in the middle of the night, visions of bloodied hands and a dead body dancing behind her eyelids. even though she didn't do anything, the fact that she nearly did still haunted her.)

* * *

mike, hands down, was the type of person who typically tried to run away from the fear. he could recall countless times where he and his friends had to hide to escape the wrath of troy and james, who hated them for _no reason_ other than they were different. he and his friends preferred to stay in and play dungeons and dragons for hours, or attempt to rewatch all the star wars movies in one sitting.

they weren't like all the other boys, who were starting to notice how pretty girls were, or find out how much of a rush they got when breaking the rules.

...however, once will got taken and mike met eleven, that completely changed. no longer did mike run away from everything, but he tried to fight it in whatever way he could.

mike wasn't a fan of violence. he was a lover not a fighter, but if any of his friends were in danger, then he could make anything cower in fear at the mere sight of him.

* * *

dustin wasn't a fighter. at all.

he hadn't been before the demogorgon, and he hadn't been after, either. violence just...wasn't something he liked. whenever fear crept up his veins and wrapped around his throat, his first instinct wasn't to confront it, but to run and save himself.

and when his friends stayed to fight, when dustin had no choice but to stay as well, it was torturous. ever fiber in his being had screamed at him to run when mike suggested going down to the tunnels, but he couldn't.

eleven was their friend, and as much as he hated being in the face of danger, the least they could do was fight for her and hope to god that she would be okay.

* * *

lucas was the very definition of a fighter. even if he wasn't on the front lines, he still came up with plan after plan. he was the strategist who didn't really think of saving himself.

he tried protecting whoever he could when faced with danger. even when the fear became too much, when his mind was a mixture of, "run away. whatever it is is going to get you and you'll die anD YOU NEED TO **RUN!"** and "stay. protect your friends because if they die it'll be your fault. _**your fault."**_

there was, however, rare moments where he did run. when the bad men were chasing them, lucas wanted nothing more than to fight and punch and scream because _how dare they hurt will and try to hurt them?_

but even the bravest warriors knew when it was time to fall back and run.

* * *

will had never ever been a fighter.

like dustin, he preferred to run away in the face of danger. to hide and hope that whatever he was scared of wouldn't find him.

and it was so much easier to do that before the demogorgon. when all he had to fear were the bullies at school and the fact that he was starting to realize things about himself that absolutely terrified him.

that was the only time he didn't run. because how can you run away from yourself?

but after the demogorgon. after he got kidnapped and nearly _died,_ it was harder and harder to run away and hope that nothing would find him. because now he knew that his world wasn't what it seemed. now he knew that, even if he tried, he could still be found.

and nothing scared him more.

* * *

max was always a fighter.

she was as fiery as her hair, and almost never refused to back down, even if she was more than terrified.

the only time she ever ran away instead of confronting her fear head on was when her older brother was near her. he...he scared her more than she'd like to admit. because he always got so _angry_ and he couldn't hit her mother or, god forbid, his father, so she was what he took his anger out on.

and if she dared to talk back, then everything got worse.

however, other than that, she was fierce and brave when it came to facing her fears.

even when they became something out of a comic book.

* * *

 **me: i'm gonna update this a lot!**

 **also me: *disappears for a year***

 **i really did have plans to update this regularly, but then i sort of got into other fandoms and yeah.**

 **did any of you see the new season of stranger things? i binge watched it all the day it came out. i, sadly, had school when it did, and one of my best friends had to listen to me talking abt the show every five minutes and nearly crying.**

 **but aaa i really hope you guys liked this chapter! it's just a filler until i can come up with more ideas.**

 **if there's something specific you wanna see, let me know!**

 **until next time,**

 **~queen**


	11. the sea doesn't like to be restrained

**aaa okay so someone requested that i do a swimming chapter so ! here we go !**

 **this isn't the best but ! i tried**

* * *

mike absolutely adored swimming. there wasn't anything about it that he disliked.

it felt so...freeing to be in the water. to let it wash over him and be able to pretend like he could float away from all his problems. his mom used to tell him that it was like he was made for the water. he had _wanted_ to start doing competitive swimming, but he took one look at the team and decided against it.

eleven, on the other hand, hated swimming. the water reminded her of papa and the bad place, and the first time she took a shower and closed her eyes, she nearly had a panic attack. swimming pools were a definite no-no for her. at least, they _had_ been up until mike.

she noticed the way he was with water. he obviously enjoyed being in it, and she thought that if he liked it, then surely she could give it a try. after all, when had he ever tried putting her in danger?

* * *

it was a hot and sunny summer day in hawkins, indiana. nine months had passed since mike and eleven saw each other, and the two were constantly hanging out. whether it be alone or with their small group of friends, there wasn't a day that they didn't get to see each other, or at the very least, talk over radio.

the four boys were sitting on the sofa, all of them practically dripping sweat. the fan that mike usually kept in his basement was broken because he accidentally tackled dustin and hit into it. eleven and max were both sitting on the floor, not _quite_ as warm as the guys since they were chewing on ice.

all in all, it was really hot in the basement, and mike felt like he could die from heatstroke at any given moment. so he complained about it.

"well _maybe_ if someone hadn't tackled me into the fan, this wouldn't be an issue." dustin replied, rolling his eyes. mike mimicked him in a higher voice and ignored his look of offense. all was quiet again before will spoke up.

"we could...check out the pond behind my house?" he offered, watching as everyone perked up. the boys and max seemed to be excited, but both will and mike noticed eleven seemed a bit...off. scared.

"come on, i'll take you to nancy's room and you can see if she has anything you can borrow." mike said to eleven, offering his hand to her after he stood up.

"what a gentleman." max teased him, before turning to lucas. "how come you never offer to help me up?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"do you _want_ me to?" lucas asked, standing up and deeply and mockingly bowing. "oh, fair maiden maxine, shall i help thine up?" she rolled her eyes, and all that could be heard as mike and eleven walked up the basement stairs was bickering between the two.

silence fluttered over mike and eleven like a blanket, and mike found he didn't really mind it. words weren't always needed between the two. however, after a few seconds, he spoke up. "so...i noticed you looked scared at the mention of the pond." he tried saying it casually, but it came out a bit more awkward than he intended. like everything else he did.

"because i am." eleven shrugged, not bothering to deny it. 'friends don't lie' she reminded herself. "water isn't exactly...something i enjoy." she bit her lip, stopping at the bottom of the staircase when mike lightly tugged on her hand.

"hey, don't worry about it, okay? nothing's gonna happen. the bad men are gone. the upside down is closed. you're safe and the water is safe. besides, i'll be right there with you. and i've been meaning to teach you how to swim. it's so fun, i promise." mike smiled at her, watching as she slowly nodded her head.

the two finally ascended the steps to nancy's room, and mike went to go mess around in his room and his sister and girlfriend- god, he still couldn't believe he could call her that- looked over swimwear.

finally, once eleven stepped back out, mike yelled to his mom that they were leaving, and he and his little group walked out the door.

* * *

"i swear to god dustin if you splash me one more time i _will_ drown you." max huffed out, taking her sunglasses off her face. here she was, just calmly laying on the grass, and every few seconds she'd feel water hit her legs. needless to say, she was _not happy with it._

"why? afraid you'll melt?" dustin grinned at her, lightly splashing her again and ignoring her calls of 'god _damnit dustin!'_

"i'm not the wicked witch of the west, dustin." max rolled her eyes.

"really? you kinda seem like it to me." and he was swimming away as she stared at him, clearly offended. or, at least, she was pretending to be. despite all the teasing, she was really happy she finally had a group of friends. max will never admit it, but being the new kid that didn't fit in was more lonely than it looked.

as the redhead sat up, she looked around the small clearing they were in, a contented look on her face. dustin, lucas, and will were play marco polo, and a little farther away was eleven and mike. he kept trying to teach her how to swim, softly smiling when she messed up. mike kept giving her fond looks that made max want to both 'awe' and stab her eyes out.

once max and eleven had a proper introduction, they became the closest set of friends in that group. it was nice to have another friend that was a girl, because there were things that only girls can talk to each other about. max had become just as protective of the girl as mike was- okay, maybe not _just as_ protective, because max didn't think she'd hit hopper, but nearly as protective.

all in all, it was a really nice day. and as max lay back on the grass, she could almost pretend she didn't hear the faintest scream echoing from the direction of hawkins lab.

* * *

 **someone commented something about hamilton and please just take a moment to imagine eleven rapping guns and ships.**

 **i just got rlly excited bc i remembered that the og voltron was an eighties show so prepare for the entire group to be obsessed w it.**

 **also im thinking abt making a modern chat chapter ? like those are great but alas ,,, i am not Funny(tm)**

 **no but rlly pls leave comments saying what you thought and/or giving me ideas bc i need validation**

 **until next time !**

 **~ queen**


	12. may you always be satisfied

**okay so someone commented and ! they made me smile a lot and aaaaa thank you ! but they requested that i do a thing where joyce and hopper get engaged and explain it to eleven and el goes out and buys a dollar store ring and tells mike that they're engaged and i just ,,, rlly love that idea a lot? so ! here it is !**

 **also i just got back from a choir concert so im all hopped up on sugar and anxiety wOOP**

* * *

weddings were a wonderful thing. you got to dress up, eat free food, and see two people become happily married. mike would deny this if anyone ever asked him, but his favorite part about weddings wasn't the food. it was getting to see how happy people were and hoping that one day _he_ could be that happy, too. so when will excitedly told him the news, mike couldn't stop the bright smile from spreading across his face. he was happy for both joyce and hopper.

after all the shit they went through, both of them deserved something good in their lives.

* * *

eleven stood with joyce in a wedding shop, looking around at all the dresses with slight disinterest in her features. they were so...boring. all the dresses were white, but at least they varied in design. "what exactly is marriage?" she asked, looking up at joyce as she eyed the dresses.

"marriage is...something between two people who love each other a lot. it's sort of a...promise between them. that they'll promise themselves to each other and will always love each other, even throughout the hard times. the ring kind of symbolizes all of that." joyce slightly struggled to explain it, but when she looked down at eleven, she saw a look of understanding cross over her features.

eleven nodded and continued to look around the store, a small smile on her face. she was extremely happy joyce and hopper were getting married- they made each other extremely happy, and that made eleven really happy. that, and joyce would actually be her mother, which made eleven excited.

however, as they looked around, eleven's mind kept going back to joyce's explanation. so...if marriage was between two people who were in love, then did that mean she and mike could get married? because eleven knew she loved him- he was kind and made her feel safe and very patient with her.

her mind stayed on that path the entire time that she and joyce were out. while they were at a shop, joyce gave eleven a few dollars to go buy something with, since eleven looked like she'd be ready to drop dead from boredom at any given time.

with renewed excitement, eleven grinned up at joyce and took off, throwing a quick, "thanks, mom!" behind her.

and if tears sprang to joyce's eyes and a huge smile spread over her lips at that, well, no one needed to know.

* * *

eleven murmured to herself under her breath as she looked around the store, slightly frowning at all the rings. why were there so many? shouldn't just one be good enough? all the different styles and colors made her smile, though, and as soon as her eyes landed on a certain ring, she grabbed it.

the gem inside of the ring was a pretty dark blue color that mixed with purple when it sparkled in the light. the ring itself was black and felt a little different from the rest of the rings, but eleven didn't care. it was cheaper than the other ones, so she took it up to the front to pay for it.

joyce nearly cried from laughter when eleven told her her plan.

* * *

mike, dustin, will, lucas, and max were all hanging out together in front of the lockers at school.

lucas had his arm around max's shoulders, and dustin was mocking them with will. all mike could do was just stand back and watch, a small smile on his lips. despite his initial reaction to max, he couldn't deny that she fit in well with their little group.

he was lost in his thoughts when he felt a poke on his shoulder, and when he turned around and saw eleven, the small smile grew wider. dustin and will stopped talking to shoot eleven a hello, and were about to go back to what they were doing when eleven pressed a ring into mike's hand.

"we're engaged now." she loudly announced, and mike didn't react for a second. his reaction came at the same time that his friend's did. his cheeks bloomed into a brilliant red color as dustin, will, lucas, and max burst out laughing.

he stuttered out an unintelligible response, and stiffened as dustin came up to him and swung an arm around his shoulders. "well, come on mike, put your engagement ring on." he said, unable to keep the laughter out of his voice.

"can i be best man?" lucas called, grinning at mike, who glared at him and finally spoke to eleven, who looked as confused as she felt.

"i...uh...el, this isn't exactly...okay to do right now?" he said, biting his lip.

eleven tilted her head, slightly frowning. "why not? joyce said that people who were in love got married. we're in love, aren't we?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"yeah, wheeler, aren't you two in love?" max teasingly asked, laughing as mike lightly swatted at her.

"well...i mean...yeah, sure." mike stuttered out, nodding his head.

"great. so then we're engaged." eleven smiled brightly at him, and mike knew he couldn't tell her exactly why they couldn't get married just yet- he couldn't be the person to make that smile drop.

with a sigh, he nodded and put the ring on his finger, ignoring the way it made the butterflies in his stomach flare up. "i guess we are." mike said, taking her hand in his.

* * *

when eleven told hopper the news, he tried to glare at mike, but ended up laughing instead. and he ended up being the one to explain marriage laws to eleven, who seemed disappointed for a split second before turning to mike and telling him that they'd stay engaged for ten more years.

hopper saw the affection that bled across mike's face before he could cover it up, and he knew that the two would end up getting married in ten years.

after all, mike looked at eleven the same way hopper looked at joyce, and here he was, getting married to her in a few months.

* * *

 **poor mike lmao**

 **okay so i deleted this app that was supposed to help me study so i can retake my permit test, and i got instead**

 **i wanted to watch all the cosplayers oops?**

 **i've been planning out a texting chapter in my head and then realized that my humor is basically shitty memes, vine references, jokes about my sexuality, and dark humor.**

 **so that's gREAt**

 **aaa keep leaving comments please! i read every single one of them and definitely appreciate them**

 **until next time!**

 **¬ queen**


	13. we will find ourselves in neverland

**me? have a regular update schedule? it's less likely than you think**

* * *

ever since living with joyce and hopper and meeting her friends, eleven had learned a lot of new words. she learned what jealousy was, what love was, dependent and excited. and the meaning of family, which was something she'd never had before.

or, at least, not a family that felt like one. back at the lab, family had been papa and the cold scientists that barely spared her a glance when they saw her. it was feeling terrified of everything and having to become accustomed to the loneliness that plagued her.

it was the fear of making a mistake- a fear that she was _still_ trying to get rid of. it was everything bad and nothing good. it was feeling as if she'd never be normal, never get to experience something fun.

then...then she met mike and his friends, and her entire world spun on its axis. never before had she met people who wouldn't ridicule her or call her weird names. who wouldn't punish her for not doing something they wanted.

they made her feel safe, made her feel _loved._ and they changed her definition of family.

now family meant trust. it meant knowing that someone had your back in a pinch if you needed them, and that they'd never tell you a lie, even if the truth was sometimes more hurtful.

it was late nights filled with laughter and early mornings spent cuddling and trading secrets.

of course, none of this happened all at once. everyone slowly became a part of her family until they were so intertwined that the flashbacks of papa and the bad men and the loneliness faded away until they barely happened.

* * *

mike was the first person who became her family.

ever since that fateful night in the woods, he had become her closest and most trusted friend. he kept her secret and blindly trusted her without a second thought, something that el was really thankful for.

he understood her in a way that no one else had before, despite her not saying much.

he never made her feel stupid for not knowing a word, and explained it in a way that she understood. and she was so, _so_ thankful that he was there to help guide her and teach her.

mike made her _happy_. he taught her what it felt like to love and be loved.

* * *

dustin taught her what it felt like to laugh until your stomach hurt. to have tears streaming down your face; not from sorrow, but from joy and happiness. he was funny and made her laugh harder than anyone else.

sleepovers with him and the rest of their friend group was always a blast. they all stayed up until the early hours of the morning, just laughing and playing cheesy games and making each other do stupid things.

and he was also someone she felt very overprotective of.

ever since they met, dustin came off as someone who needed protecting- same with mike- and she wouldn't hesitate to hurt whoever hurt them. (of course, she'd never hurt their bullies _too_ badly because she was terrified of the person she had become when she was with kali.)

dustin taught her what friendship felt like. what it was like to have someone so fierce by your side, who wouldn't hesitate to help you.

* * *

surprisingly, lucas was the one to teach her what love felt like.

not the type of love she felt for mike, but the type of love that came with friendship. it was the purest and happiest of loves that eleven had felt in a long time, which might be why she was so protective of it.

despite his initial feelings towards her, the two grew into a beautiful friendship. he was always there to offer her support and a shoulder to lean on if she needed it, and she was thankful for that.

he never sugarcoated anything, and said things in a way that might be a bit too blunt, but it always got the point across.

lucas had been there for her and helped her and became one of her very best friends.

* * *

will taught her what familial love was.

what it was like to love someone so completely, but not in a romantic way at all. he became her brother, someone she would protect with her entire being and wouldn't hesitate to rip anyone who tried to taint it to shreds.

he taught her what it was like to have a little brother.

it was inside jokes and doing homework together. it was baking together for the first time and laughing loudly as jonathan nearly cried from their monstrosity.

but it was also fights.

it was saying something that might've gone too far or something as stupid as stealing the last cupcake. and it was knowing that, no matter what, they'd find their way back to each other and continue being friends.

and it was also having someone to talk to.

as nice as mike and dustin and lucas were, they didn't understand like will did.

because they were never stuck in the upside down. they never felt so hopeless and helpless; their world never seemed so dreary and dark.

the two found solace and comfort in being able to talk to each other.

* * *

and max taught her everything else.

she taught her what having a sister was like. a best friend. _family._

max wouldn't hesitate to tell eleven if what she was doing was wrong, or that she needed to calm down and think rationally.

she taught eleven how to play video games and how to ride a skateboard, as well as how to do makeup.

her friendship was late nights dancing around her room to whatever music was playing and giving each other the goofiest and silliest makeovers they could.

it was that feeling of comfort you get when you found someone that you just _click_ with.

* * *

everyone had contributed something to el's definition of family, even if they didn't know it.

whether it be pure and innocent romantic love, or someone you could spend hours with talking about nothing and laughing, they taught her it.

and they became her most beloved form of family that she had.

* * *

 **aaaa this is so late but my month has been hectic**

 **i moved and am currently living in a hotel and have been for the past month. (it's nothing like suite life of zack and cody. disney fuckin liED)**

 **so at my new school, i haven't gotten a writing assignment once and it's been a lil more than a month. whereas at my old school, i would've done ten different things by now.**

 **i fuckin hate it lmao. they don't even have a journalism program?**

 **also i got into mystic messenger aND 707's ROUTE MADE ME SOB HOLY SHIT**

 **i made a tumblr account for mystic messenger imagines so pls go send me requests/follow me**

 **im desperate**

 **it's mysme-imagines**

 **okay so requests on this are still open !**

 **if you have something you want me to write abt, even if it's just headcanons, pls send them to me or comment them**

 **until next time!**

 **~ queen**


	14. you will be found

they were all scarred.

some a bit more than others- both physically and mentally- but no one escaped their battles unscathed. whether they were fighting a monster that shouldn't exist, or an older brother that made them feel smaller than an ant, they all had scars.

and they all tried to hide them as best as they could. will had gotten worryingly good at not making a sound as he woke up from nightmares with tears streaming down his face, trying to reassure himself that he was okay and he wasn't in danger anymore.

mike learned how to make the time go by slower between school letting out and supper so he didn't have to be at home, where everything was more broken than he was. where his parents were unhappy and screaming and where he would hide away in his room and try to ignore the tears that threatened to fall.

sometimes, however, their friends could see through their facade, and when they did, they became the sun that broke through the dark clouds. the knight in shining armor that saved them from monsters that came out at night. they became superheroes for one another.

* * *

eleven was, perhaps, more scarred than anyone else. not that it was any competition- hell, she was _glad_ she dealt with the pain, because that meant her friends weren't as unhappy as she and they could be their joyous selves that had broken through her icy exterior.

but sometimes...sometimes she let things slip. sometimes she'd just stare off into space for minutes at a time as flashbacks of papa and the bad men and the loneliness and the depression and dark thoughts slipped into her mind without warning.

the first time she did that, it took ten minutes for her friends to get her back to the present, and she didn't even notice the tears that had been streaming down her cheeks.

max had been the first one to react, and reached over to take eleven's hand in her own and give it a friendly squeeze and a soft smile. after being her best friend for so long, max learned how to comfort eleven.

mike reacted soon after and took her other hand in his own, pressing his lips to her cheek as he tried giving her a smile. he had always been the physical comforter- their friends had grown used to mike placing kisses to cheeks or on the tops of heads. (the first time he'd done it to will, will had grown a brilliant shade of red and turned his cheek at everyone's relentless teasing.)

dustin tried to lighten the mood by telling jokes or stories that he knew eleven would find entertaining. having never been good with words, dustin found that he was better at humoring others than anything else. of course, he still offered a shoulder to cry on and he'd let anyone talk his ear off, but he was way more comfortable with humor.

lucas offered solutions to deal with her pain. some of them weren't realistic enough to do, and others were too...graphic for eleven to want to try. and she understood that lucas was angry, but she didn't like hurting people.

will was just silent. he was the one who stayed by her side and let her cry, claiming that it was better to let it all out instead of holding it in. "i've got you. it's okay to cry." he'd say, one hand rubbing her back. "but they can't hurt you anymore."

"they can't hurt you anymore."

"they can't hurt you anymore."

that was the sentence she'd repeat over and over as she cried herself to sleep. and maybe, just maybe, she could start to believe it.

* * *

mike's family was becoming more broken by the minute. his parents were screaming and fighting, and sometimes he thinks he'd prefer the moments where everything seemed so fake because at least then, it didn't feel like his world was crumbling down around him.

because then, he could pretend that his parents still loved each other. because then, he didn't have to listen to the screaming and the crying and the sounds of things shattering if it became too out of control.

however, there were times where someone would yell a little too loud and mike would flinch, his mind unwillingly returning to his parents fights.

the first time his friends noticed, mike broke down into tears.

it was too hard to pretend like everything was alright when his little world was breaking into pieces and his family, who he loved more than anything, was starting to split apart.

unsurprisingly, will was the first one to react. he knew how it felt to come from a broken home, and he hated seeing his best friend so dim and unhappy. he had wrapped his arms around mike and pulled him in for a hug, letting him cry onto his shoulder.

eleven didn't know how to comfort people well, so she just placed a hand on his back and slowly rubbed. she, too, knew what it was like coming from a broken place, but everything she dreamed of someone saying to her when she was breaking down seemed insignificant.

max was angry. coming from a broken home where parents only fought was fine if it was only her. but mike, too? that wasn't right. the two had closer over the years, and she considered him the brother that she wished she had. which meant that she was more than protective of him. so, of course, her first idea was to go and start screaming at mike's parents. didn't they know how much yelling could scar a kid? however, she tried to contain it and instead opted for a hug.

lucas and dustin could only sit there and watch for the first minute. everything seemed fine between karen and ted whenever they went over, so they were completely shocked. however, they pushed that aside in favor of slowly telling jokes and offering mike a place to stay if things got too out of hand.

and maybe mike's family was falling apart, and it felt like his heart was splitting in two, but at least his other family- his best friends, the ones who always had his back- were just fine.

* * *

more often than not, will woke up in the middle of the night because of a nightmare. or a memory- most of the time, he couldn't tell the two apart. it always left him in tears and terrified to move for a few minutes, thinking that if he even turned his head, there'd be something there to hurt him.

hell, he couldn't even sleep without his light on anymore, too afraid of the darkness that threatened to consume him.

the first time his friends slept over, will woke up with a dying scream in his throat.

eleven was the first one up and by his side, and she just wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close. she didn't ask questions or ask him what had happened, and will had a sneaking feeling it was because she understood.

eleven had nightmares too, and just having someone _there_ , who knew what he was going through, was comforting enough.

she sat there with him until dawn, when all their friends began to wake up, and continued to just stay silent, holding will close to her.

when all their friends were finally awake, no one said a word. somehow, just from seeing will and eleven together, they understood that something had happened and they'd be filled in whenever will could talk without feeling like screaming.

"i've been having nightmares." will finally spoke, telling them everything. no one cracked any jokes or made any move to get up- they knew he needed a sister's comfort at that moment.

will drew strength from all of them being with him. even if no one said anything, he knew they were all there for him, and just knowing that they were _there_ helped him immensely.

the nightmares might not ever stop, but at least he had friends who would help him and listen to him.

* * *

despite what she wanted everyone to believe, max wasn't the confident girl she pretended to be.

that's not to say that she didn't have any confidence at all, because she did. to some extent.

but when you're constantly getting torn down, it's hard to be confident and strong like max tried to _hard_ to be. and for the most part, she was.

maxine knew she was strong. she knew that she could handle her own and if anyone dared to mess with her, she'd make them run away with their tail in between their legs.

that was something she tried so hard to accomplish, because it seemed as if every other girl was content with letting someone else fight their battles. but max knew no one else would save her. she had to be the hero of her own story.

and her villain was more terrifying than anything. because the demogorgon she could handle. as weird as it seemed, she was less afraid of it than her brother.

because her brother had the ability to make her feel like nothing. like she was a bad person and deserved to be treated like one. and while it definitely made anger flare up in her, it also made something else flare up.

fear.

fear of her brother, because he was insane. there was no other way to put it- he was mentally disturbed and she was _scared_ of that.

the first time one of her friends raised a fist, max flinched and turned away with her hands up, as if she were afraid she would get hit.

as soon as she turned away, silence fell between everyone in the group, and it started to suffocate her because she _knew_ they were staring in shock and she _knew_ they were silently questioning each other.

when she finally came clean about the abuse she endured- emotional, mental, and physical- it was eleven who was angriest.

that was her _best friend._ one of the few people she knew for a fact she could trust. and someone tried to break her? tried to make her feel like she was less than worthless?

part of her anger came from the fact that she herself had been abused, and wanted no one else to endure what she'd gone through.

it took mike and will to stop eleven from marching over to max's house and dealing with billy herself.

mike was just as angry, though. overtime, maxine had become a sister to him. she was funny and strong and he just...loved her. she was family, along with the rest of his friend group.

and while mike didn't care about what happened to him, he wouldn't let anyone hurt his family. so it took a lot of self restraint to hold both himself and eleven back.

will was standing there, unable to move or say anything. what do you say to someone who seemed to be so strong, only to show that it was a facade? he didn't know. so instead, he silently stood at her side, offering her strength without realizing it.

lucas wasn't very surprised. he'd had a sneaking suspicion, but he didn't know how to bring it up. logically, he knew he should tell someone, but he didn't want to in case he was wrong.

in case he'd make her hate him.

and, like will, he didn't know what to say at first. so he slipped his hand into hers and gave it a soft squeeze, letting her lean against him and for once, not saying anything or making teasing comments.

dustin was sad. he didn't know she had it bad; of course, max talked about how bad billy was, but dustin chalked it up to basic sibling rivalry. (after all, eleven and will did the same thing, but at the end of the day, they loved each other unconditionally.)

and to find out that maxine really did hate him, and that billy was a shitty person, well..it made dustin upset. he's dealt with his fair share of shitty people, and he didn't want the first girl he'd fallen for to get hurt.

maxine looked around at her friends with a small smile, and she relaxed in lucas's arms, happy that she had people that understood and were willing to fight for her in a minute.

it wouldn't change anything, but it did make it easier for her to talk about it.

* * *

 **w o w it's been months since i've updated**

 **ngl this is kinda shitty? the ending is definitely rushed, but it's 2:30 AM nd im tired nd got work tomorrow**

 **o yeah ,,, ya girl finally has a job. nd a house. so much has happened these past few months lmao**

 **im also thinking abt changing the name to this? i've been wanting to explore different characters and writing for them- you can probably tell that i have an interest in max's character lmao**

 **also i saw love, simon nd i've been wanting to write something abt will for it? maybe like him coming out to his friends bc love, simon gave me the strength to admit some things to myself.**

 **or maybe el? idk**

 **anyway, pretty please leave a comment? i read all of them nd they all make me rlly happy xx**

 **tell me if you have anything you'd like me to write !**

 **until next time,**

 **~ queen**


End file.
